Changing of guard at the Chamber
by Joe Sullivan
Tom Ingram's departure as president of the Knoxville Area Chamber Partnership points toward a lower profile but heightened collaboration on the part of the chamber with city and county governments on economic development activities.
From the moment he assumed the chamber's helm in 1998, Ingram was embroiled in controversy. Indeed, it was thrust upon him by the shakers-and-movers who placed the partnership label on the new entity. It was supposed to consolidate economic development responsibilities then dispersed among the chamber, the Knox County Tourist Commission, the Knox County Development Corp., and the Downtown Organization, among others. But, except for assimilating the role of spearheading downtown redevelopment, Ingram never really had the authority to fulfill this mandate.
His efforts to do so led to clashes with the Tourist Commission and the Development Corp., which is a quasi-autonomous arm of county government. At the same time, Ingram got crosswise with Mayor Victor Ashe on a variety of issues, most recently over the chamber's advocacy of the South Knoxville Connector and Beltway projects that the mayor opposes.
Ashe almost delighted in referring to Ingram as "a square peg in a round hole." This view was reinforced by former state director of economic development and now TVA director Bill Baxter, who also happens to be Ashe's appointee to the Development Corp.'s board of directors. When Ashe abruptly terminated the city's $145,000 annual contribution to the chamber in June, divisions within the chamber's board came to a head.
Despite rumors to the contrary, it would be wrong to say that Ingram was pressured to resign. "If the issue was some of the rumors, Tom would have had the tendency to stay on," insists the chamber's chairman, Raja Jubran. Indeed, Ingram's forceful personality almost thrived on controversy, and in the past he's seemed impervious to criticism.
Still, the embattled state of mind in which he decided to take his leave is reflected in his final monthly column that will appear in the chamber's newsletter to its members. He writes: "A couple of people who hold notable positions in this community balked at [the characterization that the chamber should be a sometimes controversial catalyst for change] suggesting that the Partnership as originally envisioned—a true consolidation of local economic development groups—has never materialized, and that this organization should return to being a more tame, less bold, more traditional chamber.
"They used the term 'round peg in a square hole' or 'square peg in a round hole' (I'm never sure which it is) to try to make their point...
"In Knoxville, where the status quo has been so comfortable for so many years and where confrontation and change have been so uncomfortable for so many years, that could spell disaster by completely missing the opportunity to capitalize on so many natural and designed assets, ranging from our rivers and mountains to the University of Tennessee and the Tennessee Valley Authority.
"So as I leave this post I hope there always will be those who stick their necks out on behalf of this organization and consider it a compliment to be characterized as mismatched pegs and proud to join the ranks of other mismatched pegs, past and present, that have worked so hard, risks and mistakes included, to move this community forward."
You won't see a passionate public expression like that anytime soon from Ingram's successor as chamber president, Mike Edwards. Edwards is prone to keep a lower profile and to work behind the scenes. These traits were honed during his 17 years as CEO of the Public Building Authority, during which Edwards worked skillfully and harmoniously with both city and county governments on numerous projects.
He believes these skills are transportable to his new role and extendable to bridging the gap that has existed between the chamber and the Development Corp. This gap—some would say schism—has impeded efforts to attract new industry and other businesses to Knoxdom. The chamber, as the community's primary recruitment arm, has put a premium on landing prospects. The Development Corp., whose charter permits it to offer incentives that local governments aren't allowed to provide directly, has sometimes taken a harder line on how far it should go, whether it be in discounting the cost of land in its industrial parks or inducements to get a new corporate office located here. The oft-drawn analogy has been to clashes between a business' sales and manufacturing departments. In the absence of anyone to harmonize them, there's been a lot of animosity.
Edwards believes he can be the harmonizer, and it's clear that incoming County Executive Mike Ragsdale is looking to him to fill that role as well. They both point to Blount County as a model for economic development restructuring here. There, a single individual, Fred Forster, serves as CEO of both the Blount County Chamber of Commerce and its counterpart to the Development Corp.—though each has a separate board of directors.
"The two entities have roles that are interdependent, and the end game is to get them working together to achieve results," Edwards says. He suggests it could make sense for him to become president of the Development Corp. in addition to his chamber post. But if he does so it won't be in the role of advocate that was Ingram's natural inclination.
"The chamber's role in economic development is not to influence," Edwards avows. "It's to put all of the information in front of the Development Corp. board. My recommendations will always be cast in terms of pros and cons."
Similarly, where Universe Knoxville is concerned Edwards won't start out being the unbridled champion of the $106 million planetarium that Ingram has been. "It's a great concept, but I don't think we have all the information needed to make a final judgment about it yet," he says. "If, say, everybody comes to the conclusion it doesn't work, it would be very inappropriate to continue being an advocate."
In a broader sense, Edwards sees "important differences between my role and style and Tom's role and style. When the partnership was formed, it needed a strong personality to define a way for the new organization to see itself, and Tom did a terrific job. But now it's time for the members to be speaking out and to be working with and through city, county, and state officials." Lest he sound too laid back, Edwards adds, "We've got to have results, and I'm committed to making that happen. If it means being out front, I'm ready to do it. But public advocacy isn't an end if action can be achieved by quietly working with people to make things happen."
Jubran, for his part, doesn't foresee any change in the chamber's role. "The chamber should continue to focus on economic development and servicing its membership. That's our core business," he says. But he goes on to acknowledge that there will, "definitely be a difference in style. Tom is more out front and center. Mike is more methodical and works behind the scenes."
For all the controversy that surrounded him, Ingram accomplished quite a bit during his four-and-a-half years at the chamber's helm. By broadening its membership and its board, he did a lot to dispel the notion that the new chamber partnership was just an extension of the business oligarchy that formed it.
"Tom brought a new style of leadership to the chamber," says Ron Emery, owner of Emery 5 & 10, who just completed a three-year term on the board. "He was very inclusive, had very good vision, and looked at economic development in a more holistic sense that encompassed education and our heritage."
His interest in heritage included backing a number of projects designed to augment the community's cultural amenities and attractions. One that's still in a formative stage involved establishing a Cultural Heritage District centering on Haley Heritage Square in Morningside Park and extending to the Beck Cultural Center. Ingram was also instrumental in the formation of the East Tennessee Film Commission, and the chamber played a major role in bringing the Sundown in the City concerts to Market Square as well as fostering more special events in the Old City.
While his high profile emphasis was on big bang downtown redevelopment projects, he was also attentive to revitalization needs elsewhere in the inner city. He's credited by the Black Business Contractors for his efforts on behalf of a Five Points Redevelopment Plan that's now getting formative attention.
Perhaps the best testament to Ingram's devotion to Knoxville is his decision to stay here even though he's not a native and might well have more lucrative opportunities elsewhere. "We're going to stay in Knoxville because we love it," he told Jubran in his resignation letter. "I will stay involved in the community, and in whatever way appropriate, I will do everything I can to help the Partnership continue to be successful."
August 29, 2002 * Vol. 12, No. 35
© 2002 Metro Pulse
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